Freeview 9 · Sky 116 · 93 programmes this week
BBC Four is the BBC's arts, culture and documentary channel. It broadcasts music performances, archive television, history documentaries and international drama. Available on Freeview and Sky. Much of its content is also available on BBC iPlayer.
Freeview 9 · Sky 116
15 programmes
Bill Paterson narrates a lively look at the Highland Games, from clan battles to Queen Victoriaâs fascination with the spectacle. The film explores the history, pageantry and the people who turned thâŠ
In the final instalment of BBCâŻFourâs *Genius of the Ancient World*, Bettany Hughes travels to China to follow Confucius, the philosopher whose ideas have shaped the country for about 2,500âŻyears. ShâŠ
BBC Fourâs Lost Cities of the Ancients takes you to Peruâs Lambeyeque valley, where archaeologists are digging into the remains of roughly 250 pyramids. Mark Halliley presents the documentary, followâŠ
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
University Challenge pits university teams against each other in a fastâpaced quiz. This week LSE faces University College, Oxford. AmolâŻRajan hosts, and the questions jump from science to history toâŠ
Only Connect is a quiz where teams link seemingly unrelated clues, hosted by VictoriaâŻCorenâŻMitchell. It blends straightâup knowledge with lateral thinking, especially in the Connecting Wall round. IâŠ
Michael Mosley goes inside Porton Down, the UKâs secret military lab, on its 100th anniversary. He looks at the chemical and biological weapons they have made, uncovers the grim history of animal andâŠ
The Ruth Ellis Files is a threeâpart documentary that revisits the 1955 case of Britainâs last woman to be hanged for killing her lover. Filmmaker Gillian Pachter takes a forensic look at the police âŠ
Stephen Poliakoff sits down to chat about his 1980 TV dramaâŻCaught on a Train, the Baftaâwinning piece he wrote with producer KenithâŻTrodd. He explains how the story grew out of a nasty passenger encâŠ
A young English publishing executive (Michael Kitchen) takes the OstendâtoâVienna express and ends up in the same compartment as an American girl (Wendy Raebeck) and a cantankerous Viennese lady (PegâŠ
14 programmes
Michael Mosley goes inside Porton Down, the UKâs secret military lab, on its 100th anniversary. He looks at the chemical and biological weapons they have made, uncovers the grim history of animal andâŠ
A documentary that tracks the history and pageantry of the Highland Games and explains how they grew from clan contests into a worldwide symbol of Scottish identity. Acclaimed actor Bill Paterson narâŠ
"The Ruth Ellis Files: A Very British Crime Story" is a threeâpart documentary on BBC Four. Filmmaker Gillian Pachter reâexamines the 1955 murder that resulted in the last woman being hanged in BritaâŠ
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
University Challenge pits university teams against each other in a fastâpaced quiz, with Jeremy Paxman firing the questions. This week Coventry University makes its first appearance, taking on CardifâŠ
Only Connect is a BBCâŻTwo quiz where VictoriaâŻCorenâŻMitchell hosts teams that must spot links between seemingly unrelated clues. Itâs less about pure recall and more about patience, logic and a dash âŠ
Dam Busters Declassified follows actorâpilot Martin Shaw as he flies the same route taken by 617 Squadron in the 1943 raid that used bouncing bombs to smash German dams. He talks to the last survivinâŠ
The Great Escaper follows WWII veteran Bernard as he slips out of his care home to attend the 70th anniversary of DâDay. The film is a gritty roadâtrip with strong language and a clear sense of purpoâŠ
Celia Imrie presents a look at GlendaâŻJackson â the doubleâOscarâwinning actress who left a glittering film career for a stint in Parliament. The programme mixes interviews and rare BBC archive clipsâŠ
14 programmes
Talking Pictures looks at the life of Oscarâwinning Sir Anthony Hopkins through BBC interviews he gave over the years. SylviaâŻSyms narrates. The film includes clips from *Remains of the Day*, *ShadowâŠ
Celia Imrie presents a look at GlendaâŻJackson â the doubleâOscarâwinning actress who left a glittering film career for a stint in Parliament. The programme mixes interviews and rare BBC archive clipsâŠ
Stephen Smith takes you to Renaissance Florence under Grand Duke Cosimo Medici, where the eraâs top painters, sculptors and craftsmen were on the payroll. He shows that courtiers needed more than musâŠ
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
Jamie Theakston hosts this 1999 Top of the Pops roundup of the yearâs biggest chart hits. Youâll see performances by S ClubâŻ7, Pet ShopâŻBoys, MacyâŻGray, MelanieâŻC, LiamâŻGallagher with SteveâŻCradock, âŠ
Jayne Middlemiss hosts this Top of the Pops special from OctoberâŻ1999, rolling out the yearâs biggest chart hits. Youâll see the Eurythmics, JordanâŻKnight, MacyâŻGray, AnnâŻLee, James and a young ChrisâŠ
Top of the Pops returns with the 4âŻMayâŻ1989 edition, hosted by Andy Crane and Jenny Powell. The episode plays the biggest hits of the week and includes performances by Debbie Gibson, BonâŻJovi, RoxettâŠ
Simon Bates hosts this 1982 edition of Top of the Pops, mixing the weekâs chart hits with a quirky World Cup special that spots the Scottish and English squads. Youâll catch BAâŻRobertson, ChasâŻ&âŻDaveâŠ
Whitney at the BBC is a 58âminute look back at the divaâs biggest BBC performances, combining hits from âSaving All My Love for Youâ
Whitney Houstonâs 1994 concert in Durban shows her at the peak of her voice, delivering hits like âIâŻWillâŻAlwaysâŻLoveâŻYouâ to a South African crowd emerging from apartheid. It was the first time a maâŠ
18 programmes
Jamie Theakston hosts this 1999 Top of the Pops roundup of the yearâs biggest chart hits. Youâll see performances by S ClubâŻ7, Pet ShopâŻBoys, MacyâŻGray, MelanieâŻC, LiamâŻGallagher with SteveâŻCradock, âŠ
Jayne Middlemiss hosts this Top of the Pops special from OctoberâŻ1999, rolling out the yearâs biggest chart hits. Youâll see the Eurythmics, JordanâŻKnight, MacyâŻGray, AnnâŻLee, James and a young ChrisâŠ
Simon Bates hosts this 1982 edition of Top of the Pops, mixing the weekâs chart hits with a quirky World Cup special that spots the Scottish and English squads. Youâll catch BAâŻRobertson, ChasâŻ&âŻDaveâŠ
Andy Crane and Jenny Powell host the Top of the Pops episode fromâŻ4âŻMayâŻ1989, presenting the weekâs chart hits. You'll see performances by Debbie Gibson, BonâŻJovi, Roxette, Kylie Minogue, The BanglesâŠ
Whitney at the BBC is a 58âminute look back at the divaâs biggest BBC performances, combining hits from âSaving All My Love for Youâ
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
The Good Old Days was a lightâentertainment variety show that recreated a VictorianâEdwardian music hall, complete with period songs and sketches. The 1976 edition was filmed at Leeds City Varieties âŠ
Dusty Springfield fronts her own 1960s variety show in this edition, which first aired onâŻ8âŻSeptemberâŻ1966. The episode has a special performance by American vocal quartet The Four Freshmen and DustyâŠ
Hetty (Patricia Routledge) takes on a family case when her nephew is excluded from school and she believes heâs been wrongly blamed. With her assistant Geoffrey (DominicâŻMonaghan), she investigates tâŠ
The 1956 ITC adventure series stars GeorgeâŻDolenz as EdmondâŻDantĂšs, the selfâstyled Count of MonteâŻChristo. He escapes prison and begins to destroy the Parisian highâsociety people who betrayed him. âŠ
The final instalment sees Edmond DantĂšs, played by GeorgeâŻDolenz, finally face the choice between revenge and mercy as his longârunning schemes come to a head. This 1956 ITC swashbuckler follows the âŠ
Keeping Up Appearances is a classic sitcom about Hyacinth Bucketâshe insists itâs âBouquetââa relentless social climber who constantly tries to polish up her life. Her longâsuffering husband Richard âŠ
Sorry! is a 1980s BBC sitcom about 41âyearâold librarian Timothy Lumsden (Ronnie Corbett) who still lives under his mum Phyllisâs thumb. When his goodâlooking cousin Brinsley drops in, Phyllis dotes âŠ
16 programmes
Dusty Springfield fronts her own 1960s variety show in this edition, which first aired onâŻ8âŻSeptemberâŻ1966. The episode has a special performance by American vocal quartet The Four Freshmen and DustyâŠ
Historian Bettany Hughes heads to India to explore the Buddhaâs ideas, opening the threeâpart *Genius of the Ancient World* series. She travels through India, Greece and China, meeting the thinkers wâŠ
Hetty (Patricia Routledge) takes on a family case when her nephew is excluded from school and she believes heâs been wrongly blamed. With her assistant Geoffrey (DominicâŻMonaghan), she investigates tâŠ
The Good Old Days was a lightâentertainment variety show that recreated a VictorianâEdwardian music hall, complete with period songs and sketches. The 1976 edition was filmed at Leeds City Varieties âŠ
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
Planet EarthâŻIII:âŻWondersâŻofâŻNature is the BBCâs latest nature series. It takes you into the
Michael Palin takes you through SirâŻDavidâŻAttenboroughâs TV career, from his time as controller of BBCâŻTwo to the wildlife series that made him a household name, such as *Life on Earth* and *TheâŻBlueâŠ
Life on Earth: The Infinite Variety opens the 13âpart natural history series. Sir David Attenborough guides you through the wildlife and landscapes that sparked Charles Darwinâs theory of evolution. âŠ
TigerâŻDynasty follows Baghani, a young tigress airlifted from an Indian park, and hotâblooded male Rajore as theyâre released into a new reserve. They battle leopards, hunt wild boar and defend terriâŠ
Episode two of the sixâpart 1979 series finds Margot Fonteyn at Tchaikovskyâs house near Moscow, where she sits down with Marie Rambert to discuss Diaghilevâs impact. She shares personal stories fromâŠ
Omnibus's 1995 special looks behind the scenes of the classic Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musical films. It has clips of the pair and commentary on choreography, direction and production, giving aâŠ
A 14âminute mashâup of Fred Astaireâs RKO years. It includes the classic numbers that built his chemistry with Ginger Rogers. Youâll see snippets from TopâŻHat and Carefree, with smooth dancing and wiâŠ
16 programmes
Dancers take over Swanseaâs streets, parks and beaches in this 58âminute film. They move from ballet and Latin to Welsh clog and breaking, and the city becomes a stage. Youâll see solos, duets and grâŠ
Planet EarthâŻIII:âŻWondersâŻofâŻNature is the BBCâs latest nature series. It takes you into the
Life on Earth: The Infinite Variety opens the 13âpart natural history series. Sir David Attenborough guides you through the wildlife and landscapes that sparked Charles Darwinâs theory of evolution. âŠ
Michael Palin walks you through SirâŻDavidâŻAttenboroughâs TV career, from his time as BBCâŻTwo controller to wildlife series such asâŻLife on Earth andâŻTheâŻBlueâŻPlanet. The 58âminute documentary shows hâŠ
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
Cranfield University faces a fourâstudent team from Royal Holloway in this firstâround University Challenge clash. Hosted by AmolâŻRajan, the show pits UK university squads against tough questions on âŠ
Only Connect is a brainâteasing quiz where teams hunt for the link between seemingly random clues. It demands as much patience as it does knowledge. Victoria CorenâŻMitchell guides you through the ConâŠ
Lost Cities of the Ancients is a BBCâŻFour documentary that digs into forgotten empires, and this episode charts the rise of the Hittites and the hunt for their spectacular capital, Hattusha. Itâs preâŠ
Art of Scandinavia is a threeâpart BBC Four documentary in which art historian AndrewâŻGrahamâDixon travels across the regionâs visual legacy. He starts with the bleakness that produced Munchâs *TheâŻSâŠ
The Sky at Night takes you inside Jodrell Bank Observatory, charting the 70âyear history of the massive Lovell Telescope that has been listening to the universe. Presenters Chris Lintott, Lucie GreenâŠ
Andrew GrahamâDixon takes you into the work of three British paintersâDavid Bomberg, Walter Sickert and Paul Nashâand how they reacted to World WarâŻI. He examines Bombergâs startling originality, SicâŠ